Shears



l sHEARs Dec. 29, 1942.

` .Filed Feb. 28, 1941 1NVENTOR5. 772072661@ v auxiliary bearing member or Patented Dee. 29, 1942 A' 2,306,506V snEARs Edward H. Smonsen and Herbert C.,Berry,

Chicago, Ill.

Application February z8, 1941,`seria1Ne. 380,968

(ci. sti-24s) 4, Claims.

This invention pertains to shears of the type more or less commonly known as grass shears in which lthe handle members operate in a plane at right angles to the blades.

The objects of the invention are to provide certainA improvements in such shears, and more particularly in the details of construction and locking means for fastening the blades in closed position; to provide an improved catch which coacts directly'with the blades for holding them closed; to provide an improved mounting for the blades, and to provide such other desirable features as will appear morefully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts broken away or shown in section for convenience in illustra tion;

Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the blade catch;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the catch in fastening position;

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the position of the end of the catch when in releasing position; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan detail of the pivoted portions of the blades.

The blades 1 and 8 are made with narrow cutting portions and have enlarged pivotal or bearing end portions 9 and l0, these enlarged portions serving to give ample support to the blades and to guide them in their cutting movements. The blades are mounted on a stud or pivot pin I I, having a head I2 and extending up through holes in the bearing enlargements 9 and I0 as shown.

The stud II also passes through a plate or bear ing G forming a portion of the lower end with a handle I3. This handle is preferably made of sheet metal and made substantially channelshape in cross section as shown. The lower end of the handle is strengthened and stiffened by an bracket I4, the sides of which are spot-welded to the handle, and the lower portion having a hole for receiving the stud II. The rear ends of the blades have rectangular holes or openings alignment or coincide when the blades are in closed position. The blades may be held in closed position by means of .a spring catch l1, one end I8 of which is of annular or washer form and fits over the stud II as shown in Fig. 1. The catch or detent has a tongue portion I9 which extends rearwardly and is bent .at substantially right angles at the outer end to form a tip which is adapted to engage with the holes I5'and I6. The catch is formed so that the tip portion I5 and I6 which are in endof the first named handle member.

the outer periphery of the e normally extends through the vhole I6 in the;

upper blade 8 whereby the catch will swing on the stud I I when the blades are actuated, but will not enter the hole I5 in the lower blade. or end 20 is alsoy preferably rprovided with, a notch 2l for engagement with the edges of the hole I5 to hold thecatch in fastening position.

y A second handle 22 is pivotally connected 'at 23 to the handle I3, this handle also being preferably made of sheet metal and of channel-shape as indicated. A bracket 24 is secured to the handle 22 adjacent to ing" arms 25 and 26 which A pin or rivet 21 is fastened in bearing portion 9 of the blade 1 and extends up throughV a slot 30 in the blade 8 and through a hole or bearing 3| in the arml 26. Another similar pin or rivet 32 is secured to the enlarged portion I0 of the blade 8 and extends up through a hole 33 in the arm 25, these pins coacting with the handle members for swinging the blades. A spring 34 is interpostedbetween the handle members I3 and 22 and tends to. urge them apart and consequently to swing the blades to open position as will be readilyV understood. vAnother spring 35 circles the stud II with its lower end engaging with the annular portion of the catch I1 and its upper end engaging with a cotter pin or abutment 36 at the upper end of the stud and serves to hold the parts mounted on the stud yieldingly together as will appear from Fig. 1.

When the blades are to be fastened in closed position, the handle members are squeezed'together and the operator presses down on the outer end of the catch I1 which presses the tip 20 through the hole I5 to engage withrthe lower blade as illustrated in Fig. d.` When the tip is pressed down into such position, the handles are released so that the blades are swung under the action of the spring 34 until the edge of the hole I5 enters the notch 2| which will hold the end of the catch downwardly in engaging position in which position it will prevent the swinging of the blades. When the catch is to be released, the handles are pressed together which causes the hole I5 to register with the hole I6 and permits the end of the catch to spring up to its normal or disengaging `position in which the lblades are free to be operated in the usualV manner. y f

We are aware that it has heretofore been proposed to provide a catch for shears of this type for locking the handles in position with Vthe The tip` the pivot as by spotweld'V ing, and has outwardly and' downwardly extend'- embrace the lower blades closed, but such catch means coacting with the handles is not entirely satisfactory as the handles may become sprung or bent and the catch is not as positive as when it engages directly with the blades as in the present construction.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a grass shears, the combination of a pair of handle members, blades operatively connected with said members and having openings which register when the blades are in closed position, spring means cooperating with the handle members tending to swing the blades to open position, means for holding the blades in closed position comprising a catch member which projects through said openings in the blades to hold them in closed position, said catch member being held in fastening position b-y the tension on the blades and means for retracting said catch member to disengage it from said holding positionwhen the tension is relieved.v

2. Shears including a main handle member, blades pivotally mounted on saidhandle member, a second handle member pivoted to the rst member and operatively connected with the blades for swinging the same, a spring between said handle members tending to move them to open position, a catch comprising a spring having a. washer portion engaging with the pivot for the blades, and a tongue portion extending rearwardly andbent toward the blades to provide a fastening tip, said tip normally projecting through a recess in the top blade and adapted to engage with a recess in the lower blade when said recesses are in alignment, said tip having a notch in the side for engagement with the lower blade to hold the tip in engaging position, said tip being adapted to be released when the tension of the blades on the tip is released.

3. The combination with a pair of grass shears having pivoted handles and having means Vtending to hold the handles in open position, and having blades pivotally connected with said handles, of a resilient catch mounted on the pivot for the blades and having a portion adapted to engagewith openings in the blades for holding them in closed position, said :catch being maintained in fastening position by the tension of the blades thereon and being adapted to be released when the handles are moved to free the same from the blades.

.4. In va pair of shears of the character set forth, the combination of a handle, a substantially U-shaped bracket secured to said handle, a pair of blades, a stud extending through said blades and said bracket, a spring mounted on said stud with one end engaging with the bracket, an abutment on the stud engaging with the opposite end of the spring whereby the spring will draw the blades toward the bracket, a second handle pivoted to the first handle adjacent to the bracket, and having outwardly extending arms,l

pivot pins secured to the respective blades and engaging with the arms for actuating the blades, and a compression spring between the handles tending Yto move the handlesand blades to open position. Y

' EDWARD H. SIMONSEN.

HERBERT C. BERRY. 

